Come the month of May each year all jazz musicians, jazz lovers and aficionados head to Dutch Heritage city, Amersfoort for one of the biggest Jazz music festivals of the year, the Jazzdag; jazz junkies from across the globe mark these dates in their calendars, planning their year around it. Back home, jazz is alive and bubbling; Heritage Jazz has revolutionized the jazz movement in India and has emerged as a No. 1 Jazz brand, tagging Campal as the jazz capital of India. Last year, Heritage Jazz was a part of the Indian Delegation at the Jazzdag. The CEO of Heritage Jazz, Mr. Armando Gonsalves is in the midst of this grand event to participate and represent India at the jazz fest this year too along with Mr. Ahmed Ebrahim of the Pune Jazz Club.

The Heritage Jazz Dutch connection runs deep; their association is extant and will persist for several coming years and generations. Dutch trumpet queen, Saskia Laroo has sizzled on stage at four Heritage Jazz concerts. She has pumped up the audience, energized the atmosphere with a blend of vibrant, eclectic rhythms and melodies, which got the people grooving the night away. Last year it was Dutch saxophonist Sigrun Jording electrified the Jazz Courtyard with her talented band. With a philanthropic and humanitarian outlook, Heritage Jazz has conducted several fundraising programs for Tsunami victims, National Association for the Blind, orphanages and various NGO's in Goa. Music transfigures a spirit of love and compassion and echoes a message of humanity and togetherness; that was the very idea backing these events.

The very unfortunate and horrid 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai sent a shudder through the entire human race. Fighting this ghastly and depraved act, Heritage Jazz, through the 'Spirit of Goa organization' organized a peace concert and a candle light vigil in the remembrance of the victims. The 'Jazz for Peace' show was held in the streets of Campal; it struck the heart setting emotions, love, peace, togetherness, brotherhood and many other shades of human emotions ablaze. Once again, the Saskia Laroo Quintet and the Harri Stojka Quartet from Austria played exciting jazz music that enthralled the spectators till they were satiated. They set a harmonious ambience calling out for a change and alleviating global terror. Heritage Jazz also organized the 'Fusion for Peace” during the festival of lights depicting triumph of good over evil. It is no wonder that Mr. Armando Gonsalves received the 'Karmaveer Award' for peace and harmony.

Armando's work for Goa includes associating World musicians with our mother tongue Konkani; Saskia was stunning as she trumpeted Konkani folk songs at the Konkani Rocks concert, beginning a revolutionizing concept that continues to grow. Armando is planning many more associations like this to help safeguard our culture and improve the welfare of the state; he even has a Dutch music festival in Goa, on the burner.

Together, jazz ambassadors, Saskia Laroo and Armando Gonsalves are set to break barriers and turn tides perhaps linking Amersfoort in the Netherlands and Campal in India, as sister Heritage and Jazz locations. Heritage Jazz believes in conviction, compassion and leading the change. The Amersfoort Jazz festival provides a coherent platform for the jazz lovers on an international level; the jazz envoys and the artists can come altogether to infuse a new meaning to music and achieve peace and global unity. Heritage Jazz is on its way to set a cue of the potential change that this organization can bring about by joining hands with the world.